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Obama: The Historic Presidency of Barack Obama - Updated Edition
by David Tait Mark Greenberg David M. TaitA vibrant celebration of President Obama, this stunning commemorative book provides a valuable record of his historical presidency and the years since he left office. It has now been more than two years since Barack Obama concluded his historic two-term presidency. Through stunning images by White House photographers and others, as well as notable essays and quotes from a broad spectrum of people, this updated edition of Obama looks back at the President&’s journey—from his remarkable victory, to his significant milestones and final days in office, to his life after the White House. Obama features rare and previously unseen photographs, along with iconic images and newspaper front pages. It also features dramatic pictures—including the iconic shot from the situation room as the president and his staff watched the live unfolding of the Osama bin Laden raid; day-to-day images of Obama in his roles as world leader, policymaker, commander in chief, and father. There are lighthearted photos from the White House Correspondents&’ Dinner, late-night television appearances, and moments with the entire Obama family. Sixteen additional pages follow President Obama in recent years campaigning for Democratic candidates, engaging in philanthropic work, and traveling the world. The expanded volume updates the status of many of Obama&’s groundbreaking achievements, such as the Affordable Care Act (aka &“Obamacare&”), the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate accord, EPA protections, transgender rights, DACA, and much more. Obama is truly a keepsake memento of a beloved president.
Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path to the White House
by Malaika AderoThe first fully illustrated book on Kamala Harris&’s life and work, a retrospective that celebrates and honors her barrier-breaking achievements.When Kamala Harris became vice president of the United States, she made history as the first woman, first Black person, first South Asian American, and first Caribbean American to hold the office. This stunning book covers Harris&’s life from her childhood in Berkeley to her Howard College years, charting the many firsts she has carried with her throughout her legal and senatorial careers. It also explores Harris&’s presidential campaign, her family (her husband, Doug Emhoff, is the first Second Gentleman and the first Jewish vice presidential spouse), the inauguration and her first months in the White House, and includes sidebars giving historical context to Black and female representation in government. Harris&’s inspiring journey is brought to life with 120 photographs, quotes, highlights from notable speeches, and insightful commentary from Malaika Adero.
The World’s Greatest Love Letters (Signature Anthologies)
by Various AuthorsAn elevated, gifty anthology of love letters from history&’s most passionate romantics. This beautiful volume features love letters from a variety of people throughout history, including Heloise and Abelard, Henry VIII, Margaret of Valois, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mary Wollstonecraft, Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, John Keats, Robert Browning, and Mary, Queen of Scots. Contents are organized thematically in chapters such as Mad Love, Bad Love, and The World&’s Greatest Lover (John Keats, of course).
You Don't Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl from Ukraine
by Yeva SkalietskaAn inspiring memoir of resilience by a young survivor of the war in Ukraine, as told through her diary entries—a harrowing and ultimately hopeful survival story. Yeva Skalietska&’s story begins on her twelfth birthday in Kharkiv, where she has been living with her grandmother since she was a baby. Ten days later, the only life she&’d ever known was shattered. On February 24, 2022, her city was suddenly under attack as Russia launched its horrifying invasion of Ukraine. Yeva and her grandmother took shelter in a basement bunker, where she began writing this diary. She describes the bombings she endured while sheltering underground and her desperate journey west to escape the conflict raging around them. After many endless train rides and a prolonged stay in an overcrowded refugee center in Western Ukraine, Yeva and her beloved grandmother eventually find refuge in Ireland. There, she bravely begins to forge a new life, hoping she&’ll be able to return home one day. Hardcover with dust jacket; 128 pages; 7.5 in H x 5 in W.
Tommy's Field: Love, Loss, and the Goal of a Lifetime
by Nikki MarkA moving memoir that reminds us of the power of play to inspire, unite, and heal—and that sometimes what brings us the most pain can be the source of our greatest inspiration.In April 2018, Nikki and Doug Mark&’s perfectly healthy twelve-year-old-son, Tommy, went to sleep one night and never woke up. They&’re still not exactly sure why. Devastated, Nikki embarked on an unconventional journey to create a legacy for Tommy and to heal her heart. She created a plan to transform neglected land in a Los Angeles public park into a state-of-the-art athletic field, honoring Tommy&’s love of soccer and sharing his spirit of play with others. After family, friends, and LA&’s soccer community banded together to raise over a million dollars for the project, park neighbors resistant to change threatened to derail it. Throughout Nikki&’s journey, a remarkable string of incidents convinced her that her recently departed son was guiding her through the process. Ultimately, Tommy&’s enduring spirit and the beautiful game he loved taught her how to navigate the challenges she faced along the way.
What's Left Unsaid: My Life at the Center of Power, Politics & Crisis
by Melissa DeRosaFrom the frontlines of the COVID crisis to the real events behind the meteoric rise and unfathomable fall of Governor Andrew Cuomo, one of the most powerful women in New York State government history shares her gripping and candid story for the first time. When COVID-19 hit the United States, New York governor Andrew Cuomo was thrust onto the national stage, hailed around the globe for his leadership. Alongside him every step of the way, Melissa DeRosa quickly became a household name. In her riveting memoir, DeRosa details her journey as a young woman in politics rising to the highest levels of government, writing with raw honesty and vulnerability about the personal challenges she faced—a failing marriage, infertility, death threats, misogyny—while navigating unprecedented professional landmines along the way. DeRosa gives readers a front-row seat to the white-knuckle ride from the epicenter of the deadliest pandemic in US history to the never-before-told story behind the #MeToo scandal that rocked a nation and brought down a governor.Perfect for readers of Huma Abedin&’s Both/And, Marie Yovanovitch&’s Lessons from the Edge, Katie Couric&’s Going There, and Katy Tur&’s Rough Draft, What&’s Left Unsaid is a powerful story of resilience in the face of adversity. DeRosa&’s unvarnished political memoir provides fascinating, behind-the-scenes access to the inner workings of state and US government during one of the most consequential periods in our nation&’s history—bringing readers into room after room where decisions are made, hardball politics unfold, and crises play out.
Two Sisters: Betrayal, Love, and Resistance in Wartime France
by Rosie WhitehouseThis riveting book is an astonishing testimony of what befell two sisters, Whitehouse&’s own mother-in-law and aunt, who managed to escape the killing fields in Vichy France against all odds. Marion and Huguette Müller&’s family was torn apart when the Nazis invaded France in 1940. After their mother was deported to Auschwitz, the sisters fled to the small Alpine ski resort village of Val d'Isère, where they were rescued by a brave young doctor. Through intrepid reporting and meticulous research, Whitehouse traces the story of the Müller sisters, solving decades-old mysteries in her attempt to deliver both closure and justice. With skill and urgency, Whitehouse raises moral questions at the heart of the tragedy of the Shoah: questions about complicity, culpability, about duty to your country and your fellow man. She sifts through thousands of records and pieces together how the sisters were saved, and how so many others were lost. It is a tale full of shocking discoveries featuring a bloodthirsty killer, secret operatives of the French resistance, forged documents, narrow escapes, and miracles.Perfect for fans of WWII biographies and autobiographies, Two Sisters combines careful historical research with the intimacy of a family memoir to deliver a haunting account of survival in Nazi-occupied France. Anyone in search of history books for adults or other true story books will find themselves deeply moved by this remarkable story of courage, sacrifice, and hope.
There Was Night and There Was Morning: A Memoir of Trauma and Redemption
by Sara SherbillA searing memoir about growing up in a fiercely loving, abusive rabbinical family in which the author&’s father, the charismatic head of a splinter Orthodox religious community, demands unswerving loyalty—and a commitment to guarding terrible secrets. Sara Sherbill was raised by a father who was both a representative of God and a broken man harboring an intricate set of secrets. Her riveting story explores what happens when a daughter is tasked with keeping those secrets, and the cost of keeping them. It asks: How do we live with suffering? What does it mean to heal? In the face of unspeakable harm, what can be reclaimed? Sherbill&’s tale, written with grace and brutal honesty, reveals her struggle to reclaim her identity as a daughter, woman, and now mother. Most of all, it&’s a story about learning to live alongside our traumas without letting them consume us—what some might call redemption.Perfect for fans of Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman or other books about religious trauma, There Was Night and There Was Morning offers a nuanced exploration of faith, family, and the courage to reclaim one's identity. Sherbill's tale of survival and self-discovery sheds light on the often-unseen struggles within religious communities, and will resonate with readers navigating their own paths to healing from hidden abuse.
Resolute: John Franklin's Lost Expedition and the Discovery of the Queen's Ghost Ship
by Martin W. SandlerFew know that the president&’s desk in the Oval Office plays a part in one of the world&’s most extraordinary sagas; in Resolute, noted historian Martin Sandler brings the story to light. After Sir John Franklin and his ships disappeared in the Arctic while seeking the Northwest Passage, 39 rescue missions were launched, including one by the Resolute, the Royal Navy&’s finest vessel. In 1854, it became locked in the ice and was abandoned. A year later, a Connecticut whaling ship discovered it drifting 1,200 miles away, a 600-ton ghost ship. The whalers boarded the Resolute and steered it through a ferocious hurricane back to Connecticut. The US government re-outfitted the ship and returned it to Queen Victoria, who, in 1879, had its best timbers made into a desk for President Rutherford B. Hayes—a desk still in use today. Rare photographs, paintings, engravings, and maps illustrate the book throughout. This edition is updated with a new chapter on the discovery of Franklin&’s ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, in 2014 and 2016 in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This legendary maritime epic is perfect for fans of David Grann&’s The Wager and Hampton Sides&’s The Wide Wide Sea.
Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove
by Ben Greenman Ahmir Questlove" Thompson"You have to bear in mind that [Questlove] is one of the smartest motherfuckers on the planet. His musical knowledge, for all practical purposes, is limitless." --Robert ChristgauMO' META BLUESThe World According to QuestloveMo' Meta Blues is a punch-drunk memoir in which Everyone's Favorite Questlove tells his own story while tackling some of the lates, the greats, the fakes, the philosophers, the heavyweights, and the true originals of the music world. He digs deep into the album cuts of his life and unearths some pivotal moments in black art, hip hop, and pop culture. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is many things: virtuoso drummer, producer, arranger, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon bandleader, DJ, composer, and tireless Tweeter. He is one of our most ubiquitous cultural tastemakers, and in this, his first book, he reveals his own formative experiences--from growing up in 1970s West Philly as the son of a 1950s doo-wop singer, to finding his own way through the music world and ultimately co-founding and rising up with the Roots, a.k.a., the last hip hop band on Earth. Mo' Meta Blues also has some (many) random (or not) musings about the state of hip hop, the state of music criticism, the state of statements, as well as a plethora of run-ins with celebrities, idols, and fellow artists, from Stevie Wonder to KISS to D'Angelo to Jay-Z to Dave Chappelle to...you ever seen Prince roller-skate?!? But Mo' Meta Blues isn't just a memoir. It's a dialogue about the nature of memory and the idea of a post-modern black man saddled with some post-modern blues. It's a book that questions what a book like Mo' Meta Blues really is. It's the side wind of a one-of-a-kind mind. It's a rare gift that gives as well as takes. It's a record that keeps going around and around.
Living with a Wild God: A Nonbeliever's Search for the Truth about Everything
by Barbara EhrenreichIn middle age, Ehrenreich came across the journal she had kept during her tumultuous adolescence and set out to reconstruct that quest, which had taken her to the study of science and through a cataclysmic series of uncanny-or as she later learned to call them, "mystical"-experiences. A staunch atheist and rationalist, she is profoundly shaken by the implications of her life-long search. Part memoir, part philosophical and spiritual inquiry, LIVING WITH A WILD GOD brings an older woman's wry and erudite perspective to a young girl's uninhibited musings on the questions that, at one point or another, torment us all. Ehrenreich's most personal book ever will spark a lively and heated conversation about religion and spirituality, science and morality, and the "meaning of life." Certain to be a classic, LIVING WITH A WILD GOD combines intellectual rigor with a frank account of the inexplicable, in Ehrenreich's singular voice, to produce a true literary achievement.
Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News
by Dan Rather Digby DiehlThis memoir by Dan Rather -- one of the most pre-eminent journalists of our time -- is told in a straightforward and conversational manner so that you hear his distinctive voice on every page. Rather, -- who has won every prestigious journalism award in his distinguished career -- discusses all the big stories from his decades of reporting. This very personal accounting includes (but is certainly not limited to) his dismissal from CBS, the Abu Ghraib story, the George W. Bush Air National Guard controversy, his coverage of the JFK assassination, the origin of "Hurricane Dan" as well as inside stories about all the top personalities Dan has either interviewed or worked with over his remarkable career. The book will also include Dan's thoughts and reflections on the state of journalism today and what he sees for its future, as well as never-before-revealed personal observations and commentary.
I'm Here to Win: A World Champion's Advice for Peak Performance
by Tim Vandehey Chris MccormackNow Chris McCormack shares the story of his triumphs and the never-say-die dedication that has made him the world's most successful triathlete. In 2010, at the age of 37, Macca beat the odds and won the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii for a second time in what many called the most dramatic finish in the race's history. Macca's journey to athletic greatness is more than just one of physical perseverance. After coming in fourth in Hawaii in 2009, Macca returned to the island on a mission: He was there to win. A game plan containing a new strategic approach to winning brought him first across the finish line.Chris McCormack has dedicated his life to training for-and winning-the Ironman Hawaii, one of the most grueling tests of mental and physical endurance in the world. The race challenges athletes to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a full marathon, 26.2 miles, using all their strength and willpower to overcome the incredibly harsh conditions.In I'm Here To Win Macca provides concrete training advice for everyone- from weekend warriors who casually compete to seasoned veterans who race every week to armchair athletes looking for an extra push-and provides insight into the mind of a great champion with excitement and inspiration on every page.
Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?: A Memoir of Faith, Hope, and Love
by Rhoda JanzenWhat does it mean to give church a try when you haven't really tried since you were twelve? At the end of her bestselling memoir Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Rhoda Janzen had reconnected with her family and her roots, though her future felt uncertain. But when she starts dating a churchgoer, this skeptic begins a surprising journey to faith and love.Rhoda doesn't slide back into the dignified simplicity of the Mennonite church. Instead she finds herself hanging with the Pentecostals, who really know how to get down with sparkler pom-poms. Amid the hand waving and hallelujahs Rhoda finds a faith richly practical for life--just in time for some impressive lady problems, an unexpected romance, and a quirky new family.Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? is for people who have a problem with organized religion, but can't quite dismiss the notion of God, and for those who secretly sing hymns in their cars, but prefer a nice mimosa brunch to church. This is the story of what it means to find joy in love, comfort in prayer, and--incredibly, surprisingly--faith in a big-hearted God.
On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System
by Henry M. Paulson Jr.ON THE BRINK is Hank Paulson's first-person account of the catastrophic economic events of 2008. From the man who was in the very middle of this perfect economic storm, Paulson puts the reader in the room for all the intense moments as he addressed urgent market conditions, weighed critical decisions, and debated policy and economic considerations with of all the notable players-including the CEOs of top Wall Street firms as well as Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner, Sheila Bair, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and then-President George W. Bush. More than an account about numbers and credit risks gone bad, ON THE BRINK is an extraordinary story about people and politics-all brought together during the world's impending financial Armageddon.
The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
by Lily KoppelDiscover the true story of the women who stood beside some of the greatest heroes of American space travel. <p><p> As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons. <p><p> Annie Glenn, with her picture-perfect marriage, was the envy of the other wives; JFK made it clear that platinum-blonde Rene Carpenter was his favorite; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived with a secret that needed to stay hidden from NASA. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, providing one another with support and friendship, coffee and cocktails. <p><p> As their celebrity rose—and as divorce and tragedy began to touch their lives—the wives continued to rally together, forming bonds that would withstand the test of time, and they have stayed friends for over half a century.
Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy: Advice from Rock's Ultimate Survivor
by Chris Ayres Ozzy OsbourneWondering if science could explain how he survived his 40-year avalanche of drugs and alcohol, Ozzy Osbourne became one of a handful of people in the world to have his entire DNA mapped in 2010. It was a highly complex, $65,000 process, but the results were conclusive: Ozzy is a genetic anomaly. The "Full Ozzy Genome" contained variants that scientists had never before encountered and the findings were presented at the prestigious TEDMED Conference in San Diego-making headlines around the world. The procedure was in part sponsored by The Sunday Times of London, which had already caused an international fururoe by appointing Ozzy Osbourne its star health advice columnist. The newpaper argued that Ozzy's mutliple near-death experiences, 40-year history of drug abuse, and extreme hypocondria qualified him more than any other for the job. The column was an overnight hit, being quickly picked up by Rolling Stone to give it a global audience of millions. In TRUST ME, I'M DR. OZZY, Ozzy answers reader's questions with his outrageous wit and surprising wisdom, digging deep into his past to tell the memoir-style survival stories never published before-and offer guidance that no sane human being should follow. Part humor, part memoir, and part bad advice, TRUST ME, I'M DR. OZZY will include some of the best material from his published columns, answers to celebrities' medical questions, charts, sidebars, and more.
The Blue Cascade: A Memoir of Life after War
by Mike ScottiSometimes the hardest battle is the one after the war. As one of the soldiers on the front line of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lieutenant Scotti was taught that weakness is what gets you killed: no hesitation, focus your energies on your objective, and complete the mission. Upon returning from war, Scotti approached his new life the same way. He ignored the creeping depression and numbness he called "The Blue Cascade" and charged ahead toward his goal to get an MBA, secure a high-paying finance job, and retire young and rich. But he was being eaten away inside, and scenes of drunken emotion and raging violence were becoming more and more frequent. Years after returning from active combat, he eventually found himself contemplating suicide. Through a series of powerful events, Scotti was ultimately able to find a path to healing and begin his journey back to life, finally emerging with the following wisdom for fellow sufferers of post-traumatic stress: It's ok if you are not ok.
Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital (The Inspiration for the NBC
by Eric ManheimerIn the spirit of Oliver Sacks Awakenings and the TV series House, Dr. Eric Manheimer's TWELVE PATIENTS is a memoir from the Medical Director of Bellevue Hospital that uses the plights of twelve very different patients-from dignitaries at the nearby UN, to supermax prisoners from Riker's Island, to illegal immigrants, and Wall Street tycoons-to illustrate larger societal issues. Manheimer is not only the medical director of the country's oldest public hospital, but he is also a patient. As the book unfolds, the narrator is diagnosed with cancer, and he is forced to wrestle with the end of his own life even as he struggles to save the lives of others.
Shaq Uncut: My Story
by Jackie Macmullan Shaquille O'NealSuperman. Diesel. The Big Aristotle. Shaq Fu. The Big Daddy. The Big Shaqtus. Wilt Chamberneezy. The Real Deal. The Big Shamrock. Shaq.You know him by any number of names, and chances are you know all about his legendary basketball career: Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neal is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Finals MVP. After being an All-American at Louisiana State University, he was the overall number one draft pick in the NBA in 1992. In his 19-year career, Shaq racked up 28,596 career points (including 5,935 free throws!), 13,099 rebounds, 3,026 assists, 2,732 blocks, and 15 All-Star appearances.These are statistics that are almost as massive as the man himself. His presence-both physically and psychologically-made him a dominant force in the game for two decades.But if you follow the game, you also know that there's a lot more to Shaquille O'Neal than just basketball.Shaq is famous for his playful, and at times, provocative personality. He is, literally, outsize in both scale and persona. Whether rapping on any of his five albums, challenging celebrities on his hit television show "Shaq Vs.," studying for his PhD or serving as a reserve police officer, there's no question that Shaq has led a unique and multi-dimensional life. And in this rollicking new autobiography, Shaq discusses his remarkable journey, including his candid thoughts on teammates and coaches like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley.From growing up in difficult circumstances and getting cut from his high school basketball team to his larger-than-life basketball career, Shaq lays it all out in SHAQ UNCUT: MY STORY.
The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
by Jim Brozina Alice OzmaWhen Alice Ozma was in 4th grade, she and her father decided to see if he could read aloud to her for 100 consecutive nights. On the hundreth night, they shared pancakes to celebrate, but it soon became evident that neither wanted to let go of their storytelling ritual. So they decided to continue what they called "The Streak." Alice's father read aloud to her every night without fail until the day she left for college. Alice approaches her book as a series of vignettes about her relationship with her father and the life lessons learned from the books he read to her.Books included in the Streak were: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the Oz books by L. Frank Baum, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and Shakespeare's plays.
Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me (A Chelsea Handler Book/Borderline Amazing Publishing)
by Chelsea Handler"My tendency to make up stories and lie compulsively for the sake of my own amusement takes up a good portion of my day and provides me with a peace of mind not easily attainable in this economic climate."--Chelsea Handler, from Chapter 10 of Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang It's no lie: Chelsea Handler loves to smoke out "dumbassness," the condition people suffer from that allows them to fall prey to her brand of complete and utter nonsense. Friends, family, co-workers--they've all been tricked by Chelsea into believing stories of total foolishness and into behaving like total fools. Luckily, they've lived to tell the tales and, for the very first time, write about them.
Ir-rev-rend: Christianity Without the Pretense. Faith Without the Façade
by Greg SurrattIr-rev-rend (ir REV rund) noun1. a pastor who is somewhat critical of what is generally accepted or respected2. a pastor who is trying to make sense of life, love, the church and other confusing things from a slightly satirical point of view; an irreverent sense of humor.3. a "normal" guy pursuing GodWhatever you may think about the "typical" pastor, throw it out. Do they make bad decisions? Yes. Commit sin and experience severed relationships? Yes and yes. Pastor Greg Surratt is not perfect, and he unashamedly tells the stories that have strengthened his faith. He writes that the choice to follow Christ is never clean, is often scary, is usually clothed in mystery, and is always an adventure.For some people, God appears in dark, dirty, lonely, or just plain odd places. Greg found God while huddled under a grand piano, hiding from overzealous friends and family trying to accost him during an altar call at a Pentecostal revival. So began a life of sharing stories of God's endlessly creative and often surprising work and seeing God's transforming power in unexpected ways. Despite years of vocational ministry, Greg never underestimates the power of divine/human encounters in some of teh least "churchy' places on earth.Humorous, insightful, and challenging, IR-REV-REND is a revealing and joyous look at real-life Christian living. As Greg himself affirms, if God can use his missteps and blunders, God can use anybody's.
Life Is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond
by Florence Henderson Joel BrokawFor millions of people around the world, Carol Brady is synonymous with motherhood, but growing up as the youngest of ten children in rural Indiana in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Florence Henderson lived a life quite different from that of the quintessential TV mom she later played on television. Florence's father was a dirt-poor tobacco tenant farmer who was nearly fifty years old when he married Florence's twenty-five-year-old mother, and was nearly seventy when Florence was born. Florence's childhood was full of deprivation and abandonment. Her father was an alcoholic at a time when there was no rehab or help for the disease. Their home rarely had electricity or running water. When she was twelve, Florence's mother left the family to work in Cleveland and never returned.Florence opens up about her childhood, as well as the challenges she's faced as an adult, including stage fright, postpartum depression, her extramarital affairs, divorce, her hearing loss, and heart problems. She writes with honesty and wisdom of how her faith and ability to survive has brought her through rough times to a life of profound joy and purpose.
Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16
by Moshe KasherRising young comedian Moshe Kasher is lucky to be alive. He started using drugs when he was just 12. At that point, he had already been in psychoanlysis for 8 years. By the time he was 15, he had been in and out of several mental institutions, drifting from therapy to rehab to arrest to...you get the picture. But KASHER IN THE RYE is not an "eye opener" to the horrors of addiction. It's a hilarious memoir about the absurdity of it all.When he was a young boy, Kasher's mother took him on a vacation to the West Coast. Well it was more like an abduction. Only not officially. She stole them away from their father and they moved to Oakland , California. That's where the real fun begins, in the war zone of Oakland Public Schools. He was more than just out of control-his mother walked him around on a leash, which he chewed through and ran away.Those early years read like part Augusten Burroughs, part David Sedaris, with a touch of Jim Carrol...but a lot more Jewish. In fact, Kasher later spends time in a Brooklyn Hasidic community. Then came addicition...Brutally honest and laugh-out-loud funny, Kasher's first literary endeavor finds humor in even the most horrifying situations.